Dextrin

About

Dextrin is a starch that has been partly broken down, industrially by dry heating (roasting), giving a white, yellow or brown powder that is partly or fully soluble in water; in food it serves as a binder, a thickener and a crispness enhancer in batters, coatings and glazes.^[1] United States food law lists it as generally recognised as safe, made by dry heating corn, waxy maize, potato, arrowroot, wheat, rice, tapioca or sago starch, and used as a formulation aid, processing aid, stabiliser, thickener and surface-finishing agent.^[2] Its number in the international food additive numbering system is 1400.^[1] The German label of Fisherman's Friend Eucalyptus lists it between the flavourings and the thickener, with no additive class and no E number.^[3]

Roasting starch with little or no acid gives the white and yellow dextrins known as British gum; the heat process was first described in 1811 by Edme-Jean Baptiste Bouillon-Lagrange, and the same reaction contributes to the colour and crispness of bread crust.^[1] Outside food, yellow dextrins are used as water-soluble glues on envelopes and paper tubes.^[1]

Classes of this ingredient

Products (9)

Includes products that name the class Tapioca dextrin.

ProductCategoryBarcode

Fisherman's Friend Eucalyptus 25 g Fisherman's Friend · 25 g Sugar Candy/Sugar Candy Substitutes Confectionery 50357390 M&M's Milk Chocolate Candies 48 g M&M's · 48 g Chocolate and Chocolate/Sugar Candy Combinations - Confectionery 058496812317 M&M's Minis Milk Chocolate Candies 30 g M&M's · 30 g Chocolate and Chocolate/Sugar Candy Combinations - Confectionery 058496890131 M&M's Peanut Milk Chocolate Candies 49 g M&M's · 49 g Chocolate and Chocolate/Sugar Candy Combinations - Confectionery 058496812324 Skittles Berry Bite Size Candies 191 g Skittles · 191 g Sugar Candy/Sugar Candy Substitutes Confectionery 058496896560 Skittles Berry Bite Sized Candies 61 g Skittles · 61 g Sugar Candy/Sugar Candy Substitutes Confectionery 058496829629 Skittles Original Bite Size Candies 191 g Skittles · 191 g Sugar Candy/Sugar Candy Substitutes Confectionery 058496896577 Skittles Original Bite Size Candies 61 g Skittles · 61 g Sugar Candy/Sugar Candy Substitutes Confectionery 058496829605 Skittles Sour Bite Size Candies 51 g Skittles · 51 g Sugar Candy/Sugar Candy Substitutes Confectionery 058496894917

Relations

• Derived from Starch^[2] sourced
  21 CFR 184.1277 defines dextrin as an incompletely hydrolysed starch made by dry heating starch

Referenced by

• Kinds include Tapioca dextrin sourced
  21 CFR 184.1277 defines dextrin as an incompletely hydrolysed starch and names tapioca among the starches it is made from

References

1. ↑ Dextrin Wikipedia. publication. Accessed 2026-09-24. lead and Uses. cc-by-sa-4.0.
2. ↑ 21 CFR 184.1277 Dextrin Cornell Legal Information Institute. publication. Published 1983-11-15. Accessed 2026-09-24. Record: 48 FR 51909. paragraphs (a) and (c)(1).
3. ↑ FISHERMAN'S FRIEND Eucalyptus 25 g Shop Apotheke. retailer. Accessed 2026-09-17. Record: 02192831. PZN / EAN field and mandatory information block.